Form ladder 2013

[David]

No I wouldn't. We would have beaten the GWS by more than 40 points even on our form on Thursday. As for spirit, who says? You can play with spirit and still lose. I'd have Richmond and Essendon highest on that count.

[jack_spain]

[John Wren]

north couldn't quite get over the line against a subpar hawthorn. cracker of a game nonetheless.

[David]

Round 5 form ladder:

1. Geelong
2. Hawthorn
3. Essendon
4. Sydney
5. Collingwood
6. Fremantle
7. Richmond
8. Carlton

9. North Melbourne
10. Port Adelaide
11. West Coast
12. Adelaide
13. St. Kilda
14. Gold Coast
15. Western Bulldogs
16. Brisbane
17. Melbourne
18. GWS

I actually can't see any good reason to change last week's ladder, apart from moving St. Kilda above the Gold Coast (it strikes me that the Saints have actually been reasonably competitive against Essendon, Sydney and Richmond now; perhaps I've been overly harsh on them). Otherwise, who would you move? None of Geelong, Hawthorn or Sydney particularly impressed, though I still don't think Essendon's worthy of a top 2 spot. And we're still probably ahead of Fremantle and Richmond. Can't get Port any higher. Perhaps this is a good thing?

[David]

Whatever happens on Saturday, the bookies seem to be agreeing with me on North and Port:

North Melbourne (1 wins, 4 losses): $1.38
Port Adelaide (5 wins, 0 losses): $3.05

[John Wren]

[David]

That 'form' is about far more than mere win/loss ratio. Perhaps I'm labouring the point, but I feel like these two teams have provided an unusually stark example of it.

[John Wren]

[David]

Yep, although given I've only had them one place above them for the last couple of weeks, I guess a close result was fitting.

Not sure about Carlton. I think they're possibly a top 8 side — just — but don't forget they lost to Richmond (who we beat soundly) and, of course, lost to us. There's scope for improvement, but I think we're traveling a little better at present.

[jack_spain]

[David]

None of those teams have beaten anyone that we wouldn't have beaten. I thought Richmond were playing superbly until late in the third quarter last night, but they fell away badly and ended up getting thrashed (just like us against Essendon). I have them around 6th or 7th at present.

[David]

Round 7 form ladder:

1. Geelong
2. Hawthorn
3. Essendon
4. Fremantle
5. Sydney
6. Collingwood
7. Richmond
8. North Melbourne

9. Carlton
10. Port Adelaide
11. Adelaide
12. West Coast
13. St. Kilda
14. Gold Coast
15. Brisbane
16. Western Bulldogs
17. Melbourne
18. GWS

Geelong well out on top now. Hawthorn look ominous at times, but they nearly lost to mid-range teams in rounds 5 and 6, while Essendon haven't been impressive since Anzac Day. As for Sydney, can't justify having them in the top 4 any more — who have they even beaten? We're still 6th for the time being, although it was only our convincing win against them in round 4 that stopped me from putting Richmond above us.

Otherwise, the rest seems about right. What do you think?

[John Wren]

how can north not be ahead of us? we're not sixth on form. this is rubbish david.

gcs have won more quarters than us. our defence is only marginally better than some of the bottom four teams.

[David]

Well, we beat them for one. Otherwise, here are our respective performances:

Wins: Carlton (good), Richmond (good), St. Kilda (unconvincing)
Losses: Hawthorn, Essendon, Fremantle

North, on the other hand:

Wins: Brisbane (easy), Port (OK), Bulldogs (easy)
Losses: Geelong (close), Sydney (not close), Hawthorn (close)

They've certainly shown more in their losses — particularly the two games against Geelong and Hawthorn — but our wins have been more impressive than theirs and, lest it be forgotten, we beat them. I think that tends to suggest they're in the right place.

It does seem strange that we're in 6th at the moment, but this is a strange season — the ladder seems very tiered. There haven't been many upsets. We're somewhere in that 6-12 pack, and we just happen to have beaten all of those teams that we've played (and I'd back us in to beat Port, Adelaide and West Coast, too). I think 6th is actually about right.

[John Wren]

what does your ladder look like using a four week window, i.e. the last four rounds? going back to round one is too big a span. we have lost three of the last four. that is no form.